None.
This invention relates in general to wall-mounted dispensers for removably receiving expendable containers containing the product to be dispensed therefrom and, more particularly, relates to a wall-mounted dispenser holder for receipt of an aerosol can or container having a flexible dispensing nozzle disposed on one end.
Aerosol dispenser containers are well-known in the prior art and generally consist of a can or other container for containing the product to be dispensed through a flexible tip or nozzle disposed on one end of the container so that when the container is used in a free-standing or hand held condition, it is simply necessary to deflect the flexible nozzle to cause the emission of a charge of the material.
When it is desired to mount dispensers of this type on a wall or other vertical support surface various holders are employed. Such holders generally comprise a body or housing with a central bore for receipt of the container. A back plate having a planar surface either as a separate piece or as part of the body or housing with the planar surface mounted against a wall or other vertical surface is provided. The actual container bearing the product is then inserted into the central bore of the body or housing with the nozzle projecting therefrom for access.
At that point, dispensing of the material is simply achieved by deflecting the flexible nozzle with the hand or fingers of the users to discharge a charge of the product.
Obviously, it is generally desirable to dispense the product onto the hand of the user, and often in the prior art, it is difficult to do this with any consistency. Essentially, some arrangements would require the use of both hands, one to deflect the nozzle and the other to receive the charge. Alternatively, if a single hand is employed, the difficulty is in accurately deflecting the flexible nozzle so as to ensure that the product is deposited where desired. The result is wastage of the material, splattering or spray of the material other than into the hand of the user, etc.
Furthermore, conventional arrangements involve actual hand or finger contact with the nozzle thus creating a potential point for transmission of germs from one user to the next. This is obviously undesirable particularly when the combination is mounted in public places.
Therefore, it is believed desirable to provide a means for wall-mounting a dispenser container of this general type so that the container is easily removable when the supply or contents are exhausted but where also a consistent dispensing action can be provided using one hand without any mess or misdirection of the material and without any physical contact with the dispensing nozzle.
It accordingly becomes a principal object of this invention to provide a dispenser holder for an aerosol container which can be wall-mounted, in which deflection of the flexible nozzle is controlled to cause consistent, accurate dispensing of the product contained therein.
It has been found that this object can be facilitated providing a back plate with first and second legs, the second leg of which extends outwardly from the bottom end of a first leg substantially normally thereto and contains a notch for receipt of the flexible nozzle when the container is mounted. The first leg is planar and is designed to be mounted on a vertical support surface.
It has further been found that provision of a container holder with a through central bore for receiving the body of the container with the nozzle projecting from the lower end thereof can be hingedly attached to the second leg of the back plate so that the holder itself may swing toward and away from the back plate as desired upon applying force from the heel of the hand of the user to the exterior of the container holder to force the nozzle into the notch in the back plate to deflect the flexible nozzle and dispense material.
It has also been found that some lateral movement of the container holder relative to the back plate can be achieved by connecting the holder and the back plate loosely to the back plate to insure that the deflection of the nozzle is accurately controlled even if the container holder is contacted off center.
Accordingly, production of an improved container holder assembly of the character above described becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects thereof becoming more apparent when interpreted in view of the following brief description considered and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.